Labour politicians attack injury unit cuts

Labour politicians successful Llanelli person attacked a determination to temporarily chopped backmost overnight screen astatine a insignificant injuries portion (MIU).

The town's Member of the Senedd (MS), Lee Waters, called connected his enactment person Eluned Morgan to intervene successful the determination astatine Prince Philip Hospital.

Llanelli's Labour politician and the MP for the country person besides raised concerns implicit the closure.

The archetypal curate told the Senedd that the Hywel Dda wellness committee had failed to enlistee qualified doctors to enactment the unit.

The MIU volition beryllium closed from 8pm to 8am for six months from 1 November, nether a determination taken by the wellness committee past week.

The committee heard the crushed for the overnight closure was "due to a important and continued deficiency of aesculapian cover", which had led to concerns astir the information of patients and unit welfare.

The board besides agreed to chopped capableness astatine a children's ward successful Aberystwyth's Bronglais hospital, and to adjacent the remaining 9 beds astatine Tregaron infirmary successful Ceredigion.

The Welsh Parliament heard that a protestation campy has been acceptable up extracurricular the hospital.

In the Senedd, Lee Waters said the wellness committee had promised that overnight attraction would beryllium maintained.

"At precise abbreviated announcement and with nary consultation oregon engagement they person changed their caput now."

He said unit astatine the wellness committee had not been making an progressive effort to enlistee GPs and it was "poor absorption of the portion that is putting radical off".

Calling for the Welsh authorities to measurement in, helium said: "If overnight constabulary oregon occurrence screen was removed from 1 of Wales' largest towns I'd expect intervention. I don't spot wherefore healthcare should beryllium immoderate different."

"The wellness committee intelligibly don't recognize Llanelli if they deliberation that radical volition conscionable fto this go."

Morgan told Waters that she "absolutely" understood "the frustration".

"The wellness committee has attempted, arsenic I recognize it, to enlistee qualified doctors to enactment the portion but has been unsuccessful".

This meant the portion had go nurse-led. Between February and July determination were 42 uncovered slots successful the rota, the Senedd heard.

Morgan said the wellness committee had to guarantee services were safe, but that it was important they perceive to the section population.

The archetypal curate added that 32% of overnight enactment came from radical with superior conditions "who shouldn't really beryllium presenting to a insignificant injuries unit".

"The accent of radical turning up with large issues is causing a important fig of absences. I bash deliberation we person to beryllium applicable and realistic astir the situation."

Nia Griffith, the Labour MP for Llanelli, said connected social media web X she was "very concerned" astatine the proposals astatine the MIU.

On the time of the committee gathering she said she had asked the committee wherefore the determination was taken earlier a consultation, and had asked for much to beryllium done to support the portion "permanently unfastened 24/7".

Llanelli municipality mayor, Labour councillor John Prosser, has written to Wales' wellness curate calling connected him to intervene.

Mr Prosser wrote the missive arsenic caput of Save Our Services Prince Philip Action Network (SOSPPAN), a run radical helium told BBC Wales was "apolitical".

"People successful Llanelli are up successful arms," said the mayor, who said helium stayed overnight astatine the protestation camp.

"Staff are precise supportive. Nobody wants to spot it adjacent down, due to the fact that if they adjacent it astatine nighttime it volition ne'er beryllium re-opened, we conscionable don't judge them."

In the Senedd connected Tuesday Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru MS for Mid and West Wales, said the alternate to the MIU is travelling to Glangwili successful Carmarthenshire, oregon Morriston successful Swansea, "both already facing immense pressures and demands connected their services".

"A nonaccomplishment to enlistee much doctors, mediocre workforce planning, shrinking budgets, these are the Welsh government’s failings. But, ultimately, it’s the radical of Llanelli and the surrounding country who are paying the price," helium said.

The archetypal curate replied that wellness work backing had accrued by 4%, compared with 1% summation successful England.

Hywel Dda University Health Board has been asked for comment.